Hi-Wire Brewing Strongman Coffee Stout

What the brewers say

“Inspired by our head brewer’s café con leche-fueled travels in Key West, this is a milk stout with some kick. Local coffee from Dynamite Roasting Co. is cold-extracted and added post fermentation to this sweet, creamy beer.”

What our panel thought

Flavor: “The beer starts and finishes a little thin—fresh coffee leads, with some burned roastiness and creamy sweetness (as if they added a couple cubes of sugar). Subtle molasses and cocoa notes follow, along with some tobacco for balance. It’s big on flavor and easy to drink, delivering on all the things you hope from a stout.”

Overall: “The coffee had a roasty quality similar to fresh espresso—gotta like a cup of coffee! It has pronounced sweetness in the middle that lingers, and the balance between that and the roasted coffee is great. It’s a fantastic stout that really showcases coffee, and the lovely milk sweetness and coffee provide a great beer.”